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'STORIED LIVES PROGRAM'

WHATStudents meet and connect with seniors so that they can write meaningful stories about the lives of older adults in their community.

WHYTo connect generations by introducing youth to older adults in their community who can benefit from senior's knowledge and experience and allowing seniors to benefit by sharing their life stories and being introduced to the lives of the younger generation.

Program Description

"Storied Lives was founded by Zeenie Sharif, a high school student; one of the objectives of the program is to provide students with meaningful leadership opportunities. While adult mentors and advisors will always play a role, Storied Lives runs on the energy and talent of its students."-storiedlivesprogram.org

The 'Storied Lives Program' matches students who want to volunteer to make a difference in their communities with elderly living in residential care homes who want to share their life stories.

Over the course of a program, the students will spend quality time getting to know their assigned elderly person, record and write their seniors' life story, and finally present the story in front of an audience at the program’s closing ceremony.

The program asks students for a ten week commitment and consists of the following components:

Opening – students receive an orientation and have a meet-and-greet with the their assigned elderly person.

Visits – students visit their elderly person in a skilled nursing facility, assisted living, or retirement home approximately four times over the course of about 10 weeks to gather information to write their story.

Closing Ceremony –elderly, students, parents, school and nursing home staff are invited to an event where students will read their stories aloud.

Students, parent, teachers, school administrators, or those working at skilled nursing facilities, assisted living or retirement homes interested in starting a program to help elderly can start their own ‘Storied Lives Program.’

High schools interested in starting the ‘Storied Lives Program’ will require a teacher who is willing to advise the program along with a student leader and an elder care facility that will work with the school. The program offers support and materials to those who are interested in helping the elderly.
source: storiedlivesprogram.org